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- The Story of Susan A. Friebel's Life: The Early Years
By her sister, Eloise Gallier
Susan Agnes Friebel (nee Gallier) was born to Theresa Ursula and Jacob John Gallier on June 21, 1917 in Beaumont, TX. I was 8 years old at this time. My brothers and I were sent to spend the night with Aunt Catherine and Uncle Presto Gallier. He was our father?s uncle and they lived about a mile from us. They had 2 boys, Albert and Ray. Presto owned a grocery store and of course most of our groceries were bought from him. One of us kids was usually sent to pay the bill and he would always give us a big bag of candy and other goodies (lagniappe it was called) as was the custom at that time.
[Editor's note: Lagniappe is defined at dictionary.com as:
Chiefly Southern Louisiana and Southeast Texas: a small gift given with a purchase to a customer, by way of compliment or for good measure; bonus.]
The next morning when we were walking home one of our neighbors called out to us ?I hear you have a little girl at your house.? I must have been awfully stupid. I didn't even know mama was expecting and wondered who the little girl was. Was I surprised--- a baby girl and it was ours. I don't remember my brother's reaction, but I was overjoyed. I had always wished for a sister.
By the time she was two years old she was pretty spoiled. Mom always made me take care of her when I got home from school. There were several girls about my age in the neighborhood, but who wanted to play with someone who always had a bratty sister tagging along. I didn't have very many close friends. Mom, many years later used to tell people that I couldn't wait to get home and play with my little sister. I almost called her down on it several times, but I didn't. It made a good story and that's probably the way she remembered it.
As you know, Sue and I did become very close later. She was never called anything but Susan until we came to California. Alice [Lee] Lacour still calls her Susan when she writes. Paper would not allow it. That was his mother's name, although hers was spelled Suzan.
Mom did quite a lot of sewing in those days and when Susan started school she was well dressed. Two dresses I remember: One was solid pink with a pink check yoke and the other the pink check was gathered into a solid pink yoke. When she got a little older she made us outfits alike-- culottes, knee high divided skirts with wide legs and suspended shoulder straps. Girls didn't wear long trousers then? Heaven's NO!
Since I was 8 years older than she and in high school in another building when she started school, I asked two of her close friends to fill in that period and they graciously did.
(originally shared by dmfstorz Friebel Gallier Tree
http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/38853484/storyx/9be999e5-0d82-40a7-9bc5-c1e8f9d3c606
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